2022 Acura TLX

　　

2022 Acura TLX Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawManager, News

　　Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at zzdcar include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).

　　The 2022 Acura TLX is a solid entry in the small luxury sedan class. Acura redesigned the TLX just last year, infusing the car with a sense of style and greater road presence as well as enhanced performance and upgraded technology. The company reports that it is making no changes to the 2022 TLX.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2022 Acura TLX 4dr Sedan w/2.0T (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$181/mo  for TLX Base

　　TLX Base

　　4dr Sedan w/2.0T (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $38,900 MSRP4dr Sedan w/2.0T and Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $42,900 MSRP4dr Sedan w/2.0T and A-Spec Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) (Most Popular) - $45,650 MSRPSH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/2.0T (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $41,100 MSRPSH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/2.0T and Technology Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $45,100 MSRPSH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/2.0T and A-Spec Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $47,850 MSRPSH-AWD 4dr Sedan AWD w/2.0T and Advance Package (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 10A) - $49,900 MSRPType S 4dr Sedan AWD w/3.0T (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 10A) - $53,700 MSRPType S 4dr Sedan AWD w/3.0T and Performance Wheel & Tire (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 10A) - $54,500 MSRP

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　A turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard, and it acquits itself well against rival powerplants in the Audi A4, Genesis G70, Lexus IS and Volvo S60. For more power and performance, the racy TLX Type S provides a turbocharged V6, torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, and handling improvements to ensure it can run with similarly fortified competitors.

　　Comfortable front seats and quality materials make a favorable first impression. However, the TLX's touchpad infotainment system interface leaves something to be desired. Also, the rear passenger room is cramped, a victim of the sedan's sleek styling. Still, the TLX is worth checking out if you're in the market for a value-focused luxury sedan. Check out our Expert Rating to get our test team's full take on this year's TLX.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.6

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the TLX drive? We tested the TLX A-Spec, which has the turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Our vehicle also came with all-wheel drive. At our test track it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, which is a bit slower than rival small luxury sedans with base four-cylinder engines.

　　On the upside, the all-wheel-drive system contributes to more agile and controlled body motions while you're navigating tight turns. The steering lacks communication, but turn the drive mode selector to Sport and the wheel gains some heft, which feels better suited to spirited driving.

　　The 10-speed transmission is a massive improvement over the last-gen nine-speed automatic, though it still isn't quite perfect. It shifts early under light throttle and feels a little lazy in the Normal and Comfort drive modes. But it keeps the turbo boost at the ready when you have Sport mode selected and need responsive acceleration.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the TLX? The TLX makes up for the lack of outright performance with a comfortable driving experience. The front seats are nicely padded and the rear seats are angled back for a relaxed seating position. That said, the front seats aren't highly adjustable, and the side bolsters provide little support for performance driving.

　　The ride achieves a great balance between suppleness and composure over a variety of road surfaces, though sharp-edged road bumps can send a prominent thunk through the cabin. Noise is well abated. It's a pretty quiet vehicle overall, even though instrumented testing shows the TLX is a few decibels louder on the inside than rivals. The climate control system is easy to use, and we like that the A-Spec's heated and ventilated front seats can be set to an automatic mode that adjusts the amount of heating or cooling based outside and desired interior temperatures.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below